William Gearing (1625–1690)

A Puritan preacher with a precise exposition of purity and piety.

Today, many Christians are turning back to the puritans to, “walk in the old paths,” of God’s word, and to continue to proclaim old truth that glorifies Jesus Christ. There is no new theology. In our electronic age, more and more people are looking to add electronic books (ePubs, mobi and PDF formats) to their library – books from the Reformers and Puritans – in order to become a “digital puritan” themselves. Take a moment to visit Puritan Publications (click the banner below) to find the biggest selection of rare puritan works updated in modern English in both print form and in multiple electronic forms. There are new books published every month. All proceeds go to support A Puritan’s Mind.

“A Christian is not poor who is rich in grace; a man is not miserable that has Christ for his portion.”

His Works:

Biography of William Gearing (1625-1690):

Little is known about William Gearing (1625-1690). He seems to have served as a minister in Lymington in the 1650s and later at Christ Church in Surrey. He preached a sermon at St. Mary Le Bow on September 3, 1688, in commemoration of the Great Fire in London.

Gearing published several works that reveal intimate awareness of the church fathers, experiential Calvinism, and the spiritual need of believers. His meditative treatise on prayer, A Key to Heaven (1683), is among the finest examples of seventeenth-century piety. He was also active in publishing some of the writings of John Maynard, a member of the Westminster Assembly. (Joel R. Beeke and Randall J. Pederson,Meet the Puritans: With a Guide to Modern Reprints(Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2006), 259.)